[Greens-Media] Hanson-Young: Greens hold Govt to election promise: return immigration detention services to public control

[Clark, Gemma (Sen S. Hanson-Young)]

Wednesday 19 August 2009

Greens hold Govt to election promise: return immigration detention
services to public control

Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young has told the Senate that the Federal
Government has broken an election promise in engaging private operators
to run immigration detention facilities.

The Joint Standing Committee on Migration's third and final report into
immigration detention, Facilities, Services and Transparency, was tabled
in both houses of parliament yesterday. The Greens submitted a
dissenting report.

"The Greens are disappointed that the Rudd Government has broken its
election promise of returning immigration detention services to public
control, and have expressed so in our dissenting report," said Senator
Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson for Immigration.

"The majority report does not appropriately address the concerns raised
in evidence throughout the inquiry about privatised detention services,
nor put forward adequate recommendations to change the status quo.

"The Government has not only failed to return immigration detention
services to public control, but it has gone further by recently signing
new five-year contracts with companies GSL and Serco.

"The fact that there are now two different operators for detention
centres, residential housing and transit accommodation also raises
concerns over how those private operators will communicate with one
another and the Immigration Department to maintain transparency,
accountability, and quality of care."

Senator Hanson-Young said that, at a minimum, the new private contracts
must prioritise welfare outcomes over security and compliance.

"GSL and Serco are both companies experienced in providing prison
services, which is an inappropriate standpoint from which to accommodate
refugees and asylum seekers, who have committed no crime by seeking
asylum in Australia," she said.

"Meanwhile, the Greens will continue to push for the Rudd Labor
Government to stick to its election promises, and return the
accommodation and care of vulnerable people, who are seeking Australia's
protection and assistance, to public control."

Media contact: Gemma Clark on 0427 604 760